The developmental trajectory of pointing perception in the first year of life.

The present study investigated the development of the neural basis of pointing perception in 6-month- and 13-month-old infants. In a spatial-cueing paradigm, infants were presented with a peripheral target followed by a hand pointing toward (congruent condition) or away (incongruent condition) from the previously cued location. EEG responses to the presentation of the hand were measured. Thirteen-month-olds demonstrated larger amplitudes of ERP component P400 to incongruent compared to congruent pointing gestures over posterior temporal areas; 6-month-olds did not show any differential activation. This result suggests that the neural correlates of pointing perception undergo substantial development between 6 and 13 months of age.